Cultural sights

We can offer a few culturally interesting sights to the tourists on a limited number of locations, as most of the historically interesting buildings and structures were completely destroyed during World War One.

Šempeter pri Gorici

St. Peter's Parish Church

GPS: E13.640254, N45.930137

Travellers may visit the parish church, which was rebuilt after WWI in the Neo-Romanesque style of Maks Fabiani's (1865-1962) vision, an esteemed architect, urban planner, and a Jože Plečnik contemporary. It was consecrated on 17th November 1929 by the archbishop Franciscan Borgia Sedej.

The church was first mentioned around 1200 AD, and the parish in 1425. Proof of the original Gothic building can be found in the figural capitals, situated in the corner of the church platform and in the four fragments of a mural, now found in the chapel at Gorizia Castle (Italy).

The church was thoroughly refurbished in the Baroque period and later almost completely destroyed during the World War One, with most of its interior furnishings being either lost or ruined.

Only a few pieces were salvaged. The Adoration Angels statues, which now adorn the apse, were previously part of the main Baroque altar. Of all the Baroque canvases that depicted patrons on the side altar, the only one to survive was that of The Holy Mother of the Rosary with St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Sienna (oil on canvas, mounted on a metal plate), which now hangs on the left side of the triumphal arch wall. It is the work of Janez Mihael Lichtenreit (1705-1780), one of the most important 18th century painters of the Goriška region.

Janez Mihael Lichtenreit: The Holy Mother
of the Rosary with St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Sienna

The statue of The Virgin Mary's Heart rises on the left hand altar, and is the work of Tone Kralj (1900-1975). He also contributed the fresco The Baptism in the River Jordan, which once hung above the christening font in the baptistery. The wooden statue Christ's Heart, which stands on the right hand altar, and the monumental Crucified (on the north nave wall) were both carved in 1929 by France Gorše (1897-1986).

Very close to the parish church is the Coronini Manor, which was built by the Coronini-Cronberg counts. The origin of the present manor, dating back to the 17th century, is closely connected to the history of the aristocratic Coronini family. Ivan Krstnik Coronini (1627-1698) had the manor built in Šempeter as the seat of the Coronini estate. It was often renovated over the next centuries.

The current building stands on the foundations of an older villa. The building was destroyed during the World War One, all that was left standing were the outer walls of the central building. However, before the manor was destroyed the Coronini family were able to salvage most of the valuable furnishings, especially the paintings. The Coronini's had the villa rebuilt between 1927 and 1930 to the plans of Maks Fabiani (1865-1962). The building is regarded as one of his best works from the period in which he undertook the postwar reconstruction of the Goriška region.

Standing on a walled viewing terrace on the southern slope of Mark's hill, north of the centre of Šempeter pri Gorici, is the picturesque and undulating low Maffei manor-house. The current appearance of the manor is the result of renovations carried out after World War One.

The first building was requisitioned in the late 18th century by Kristof Maffei (1700-1772), a member of the old Bologna aristocratic family which moved to Gorica around 1740. In 1761 Maffei was given the right to use the ancient aristocratic title Glattfort by the Empress Maria Theresa. The manor, which at that time stood on the outskirts of Gorica, became the central residence of the Maffei family. It was totally demolished during World War 1, but was rebuilt after the end of the war. Later, after the Second World War, it underwent many renovations which predominantly concealed the former appearance of an elegant aristocratic residence.

Old Vine from Maribor, the oldest vine in the world, is the oldest living specimen on our planet of a noble grape vine that still bears grapes! With an age of over 440 years it is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest vine in the world. Old Vine`s scions grow on almost all continents and in numerous places in Slovenia, from April 29th 2013 also infront of Biotechnical school Šempeter (Ulica Padlih borcev 26, Šempeter pri Gorici).